New European rainfall record: Italy's northwest sees over 900mm (3 FEET) of rain in 24 hours - 7 inches in 1 HOUR

ktiv.com
Mon, 04 Oct 2021 18:52 UTC

Heavy rain has battered a northwest region of Italy bordering France and caused flooding and mudslides. No casualties were reported. The hardest hit city in Liguria on Monday was Savona on the coast.

Towns in the region's hilly interior also suffered flooding and landslides as some streams overflowed banks. A bridge collapsed in the town of Quiliano. And Italian news reports said the COVID-19 vaccine center in Campobasso was shut down as a precaution.

The port city of Genoa shut schools and ordered the closure of parks and cemeteries. Rain let up at midday. But more downpours were forecast for later Monday.

Source: AP

Comment: This weather event actually affected the whole country. After forming in the Mediterranean Sea off Italy's northwest, it proceeded to scour peninsular Italy from top to bottom:

From Floodlist on Oct 5:

Staggering amounts of rain fell in northern Italy on 04 October 2021, causing floods and landslides in Liguria and Piedmont Regions. Liguria's environment agency reported a record 181 mm of rainfall in just 1 hour and over 900 mm in 24 hours.

Severe weather was reported across northern and central areas of Italy on 04 October. Red Alerts (highest level) were issued for the regions of Liguria, Piedmont and Lombardy.

The worst of the flooding struck in Liguria Region and in particular the province and city of Savona. In a statement during the evening of 04 October, President of Liguria Giovanni Toti, said "At the moment almost all emergency situations are concentrated in the Savona area, in the Bormida valley and in the hinterland of Genoa in the Stura valley."

The president said the situation was critical and could worsen, especially given the extreme levels of rainfall. As much as 604 mm of rain fell in 12 hours in Rossiglione and 540 mm in 12 hours in Savona, Toti said.

The region's environment agency, Agenzia Regionale Protezione Ambiente Ligure (ARPAL) reported 1 hour rainfall totals of 145.2 mm in Cairo Montenotte, 178.2 mm in Urbe and 181 mm in Vicomorasso, which is a new national record. Furthermore figures from ARPAL show the station at Rossiglione recorded more than 900 mm of rain in 24 hours.

© ARPAL

Over 900 mm of rain fell in Rossiglione, Liguria, Italy in 24 hours

Several rivers broke their banks in the region. The Erro flooded areas of Pontinvrea; the Bormida river overflowed in Cairo Montenotte; and the Letimbro caused flooding in the city of Savona.